Composition of matter for manufacturing hydrogen gas.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- GEQRGE FREDERICK BRINDLEY, OF SANFRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, AND PETER McNIVEN IBENNIE, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEWYORK.

COMPOSITION OF MATTER FOR MANUFACTURING KYDROGEN GAS.

No Drawing.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept, 14, 1909,- Applicationfiled April 10, 1908. Serial No. 489,045. I

tul Improvement in Composition of Matter for Manufacturing Hydrogen Gas,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact descri tion.

T e present invention relates to a composition of matter for use in themanufacture of hydrogen gas. v

The particular object\of the invention is to roduce a composition whichmay be rea ily made Without danger and may be safely kept until readfyfor use, but which shall be in condition or immediate service at anytime.

The composition in its broader aspect comrises a mixture of finelydivided aluminum in the form of powder, filings or turnings, withcaustic soda. Certain other materials as specified below may be usedalong with the aluminum in the mixture.

The preferable method of procedure in forming this composition is topour molten caustic soda intofa. mass of aluminum in the form of powder,filings or turnings and thoroughly mixin ,the mass after which it isallowed to coo and broken up into pieces of suitable size which arestored in a water free receptacle. Themolten caustic soda has lit-. tleor no action upon the metallic aluminum in the absence-of water and ifthe resultant mass be ke t free from water until ready for use it willbe effective for the purpose intended.

Thequantities of caustic soda and aluminum may be in the relation ofmolecular equivalents or the caustic soda may be increased in proportionuntil it reaches an amount at which there are substantially threemolecules of caustic soda for each one of aluminum. Proportionsiutervenin between these two stated may beutilize depending u on therapidity with which it is with the production of free hydrogen, thisreaction occurring according to either of the following equations:

If the composition contains aluminum and caustic soda in molecnlarlyequivalent proportions, in accordance with the first equa: tion, thegeneration of hydrogen is slow, but if suflicient water is used, thealuminum will be completely oxidized and the theoretical amount ofhydrogen obtained. If, in the composition, the caustic soda and'thealuminum bear the relation set forth in the second equation, thegeneration of hydrogen will be more rapid. The composition, therefore,is made up in accordance with equation (1) where it is'not necessary tohave particularly rapid generation of hydrogen, but is madeiii-accordance with equation (2) where it is desired to obtain a rapidgeneration. As above stated, intermediate mixtures may be used accordingto circumstances.

It is sometimes desired in forming the composition to place the powderedaluminum in a small drum or cartridge of sheet iron and pour the moltencaustic soda in upon it so as to effect the mixturein this receptacle.The drum or cartridge is then closed to protect it against the action ofmoisture until it is desired to use it.

The composition may be handled for the purpose of generating hydrogengas after the manner in'which calcium carbid is used for generatingacetylene gas if this be desired, but it mayl be used in other obviousways equally we We have further found that silicon or zinc or both whenincluded in the mixture with the aluminum also go into solution givingofl hydrogen gas, and we desire it to be understood that we include suchadditions within the scope of our invention.

Ininclosing the mixture'in a small dru or cartridge as above indicated,we find it desirable in some cases to make the con-,

tainer of aluminum so that the container itself will enter into thereaction.- In such cases the proportion of finely divided aluminum inthe mixture may be appreciably diminished.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

l. A compositlon of matter comprising a mixture of finely dividedaluminum and caustic soda, free from water.

2. A composition of matter comprising a mixture of finely dividedaluminum and caustic soda, the pro ortion of the caustic soda beingsubstantially between one to three molecules to one molecule ofaluminum.

3. A composition of matter comprising a mixture of aluminum and moltencaustic soda.

4. A composition of matter comprising a mixture of powdered aluminum andsilicon with caustic soda.

5. A composition of matter comprising a mixture of powdered aluminumwith silicon,

zinc and caustic soda, free from water.

6. The method of making the composition herein described which comprisesmixing aluminum and molten caustic soda in the absence of water.

7. The method of making the composition herein described which comprisesmixing aluminum and molten caustic soda in the absence of water, thesoda being in the proportions of substantially between one and threemolecules to one molecule of aluminum. 8. The method of making thecomposition of matter herein described which comprises substantiallymixing finely divided aluminum and finely divided silicon or zinc withmolten caustic soda in the absence of water. In testimony whereof, wehereunto afiix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE FREDERICK BRINDLEY. PETER HONIVEN BERNIE Witnesses:

FRANCIS A. J. FITZGERALD, D. R. MILLER.

